The Portland daily press., 1887-03-15
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT.
On the Boston & Providence Road
at ROSlindaIe.
A Passenger Train Goes Down With
a Bridge.
Horrible Details From the Scene Of
Death.
The Thrilling Accounts Given Of the
Accident.
Terrible Scenes Witnessed by the
Survivors.
The Work Of Restuing the Dead
and the Dying.
Incidents Which Recall the Disaster
at White River.
A Revised List Of the Persons
Killed.
Incidents Which Recall the Disaster
at White River.
A Revised List Of the Persons
Killed.

BosToN, March IA terrible accident
occurred at 13 this morning on the West
Roxbury branch of the Boston & Providence
Railroad, caused by the giving away of the
iron truss bridge which spans South street
at point about equal distant from the Res-
lindale and Forest Hills stations.
The train left Dedham at o'clock, and
consisted of an engine and nine cars in
charge of Conductor w. II. Alden and as
sistants Myron Tilden and Webster Drake.
1t had taken passengers at Spring street,
West Roxbury, Highland, Central and Ros-
lindale Stations, and at the time the disaster
took place about 300 persons were on board,
and were pretty well distributed in the sew
eral cars, though there were more in the first
three cars than in any one except the last
which was the smoking car, and was so well
filled that passengers at Roslindale were un-
able to obtain seats. In less than two min
utes the engine crossed the bridge, and
second later Mr.. White found that his train
had parted, and looking back was Mortified
to see that the bridge had gone and several
of the cars had disappeared. He immediate
ly stopped his engine, and found that three
cars were remaining on the embankment and
the other six were in the highway below He
then sounded the whistle and attracted the
attention of people in that vicinity, who ran
to the spot, among them being police offic-
er, whose arrival was most fortunate, as he
turned in fire alarm signal and brought
quickly to the scene the fire alarm apparatus
of Roslindale. followed by a steamer and a
hook and ladder truck from Jamaica Plain.
In the overturned smoking car, in which at
least fifty men were imprisoned, slight fire
from the stove showed its appearance when
the chemical engine arrived, and this was
speedily extinguished. With this exception
there was not the least indication of fire to
add horror to what was already most seri-
GUS matter.
At the same time temporary force was
hurrying to the rescue. Conductor Alden,
who had fortunate escape, sent man to
Forest Hills station with a message an
nouncing the accident to Superintendent
Folsom at Boston and also to the termini at
Dedham, which is in charge of Mr.. Abner
Alden, the father of Conductor Alden, and
prompt measures were taken for the relief
of the wounded. Capt. Folsom caused
several physicians from Boston to be sent
out and Mr. Alden notified the physicians at
Dedham, all of whom responded immediate
ly. The ambulances were also despatched
from the Massachusetts, General and City
Hospitals with a corps of surgeons, who
were enabled to render valuable assistance
to the wounded. The news also reached
police headquarters within half an hour
after the accident, and Deputy Superinten-
kent Burrill, after giving orders for large
detail of officers from the nearest stations to
report to him, started for the scene Of the
disaster and reached there about half-past
eight o'clock.
1t was matter of general surprise that
nearly all of the passengers in the five cars
that constitute the wreck were not killed,
and it was also considered remarkable that
the wounded should have so quickly dis
appeared. Even those early upon the ground
found but few wounded persons remaining,
and the thousands who flockcd to the spot
half an hour later were astonished not to
find any of the horrors that usually attend
such an accident. This, however, is easily
explained by the fact that the dead were
at once removed to points beyond where
they would not be seen by persons attracted
by mere curiosity, and the wounded who
we're able to care for themselves found
transportation to their homes, while the
most seriously injured were carried to the
hospitals.
The first man from the outside to reach the
wreck was j. H. Lannon, a fish dealer. He
was driving up from Forest Hills toward the
scene of the disaster when the engine of the
wrecked train came down the track whis-
Ting wildly. The locomotive slowed down
at the Forest Hills crossing and Lannon
stopped his team, shouting to the engineer,
whats the matter?
my train has gone through Tin Bridge.
Telegraph to Boston," was the reply.
Lannon ran to the station with the mes
sage, which was quickly flashed over the
wires. Then he hastened back to his team
and drove up to the road to the wreck. When
he reached it cries and groans were coming
from all parts of the awful heap Bruised
and wounded people were crawling out from
all parts of the pile. He found an axe and
climbed upon car No. so, the third that lay
in the trench, two others being beneath it.
The cries of the injured came most from
this. car, he thought. He. crawled through
a window and went to work. A woman first
demanded his attention; she was pinned
down by the feet and two seats and the
body of a many lay on top Of her. The body
and seats were soon got out of the way,
Working on the wood and iron that held
her down caused her to scream with fresh
agony, and it was some moments before she
was free. Lannon dragged her to a win.
dow, and two men, James NJ. Claren and
James IL. Cronan, helped him lift her out
Four men, three of them dead, were taken
from this car by these three men.
By this time the firemen had arrived, and
they, with the upinjured from the wreck
were hard at work, first rescuing the inn
prisoned ones who were injured, and after.
wards were engaged in the more difficult
task of digging out the dead from the shape
less tangle Of debris